Illuminated powder compact



April 27, 1954 R. 5. Y. LAWLER ILLUMINATED POWDER COMPACT Filed 001;.12, 1950 Gttomegs fO/676L 51 1742 10/97 Patented Apr. 27, 1954 UNITEDSTTES TNT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to toilet articles and, in particular, toso-called compacts for holding face powder and a powder puff.

One object of this invention is to provide an illuminated compact whichwill enable the user to see her face in the mirror attached to thecompact, even though she is using the compact in the dark, such as in adarkened theater or in an automobile at night.

Another object is to provide an illuminated compact wherein the traycontaining the powder is either partially or wholly translucent so thatlight from the light source passes through the tray to illuminate theface of the user, the tray being optionally of such translucent materialas will difiuse the light passing through it.

Another object is to provide an illuminated compact containing anelectric light bulb and a battery for providing the illumination, thecompact having a shutter or dark slide which may be opened and closed toadditionally enable the user to use the compact as a flashlight toexamine objects in the dark, such as to read a program in a darkenedtheater or find the keyhole in an automobile door lock or in a housedoor lock at night, yet to confine the light to the compact at timeswhen such use as a flashlight is not desired.

Another object is to provide a compact having a recessed tray forreceiving the powder and powder puff, this tray being removably mountedin the casing of the compact in order to enable it to be taken out andcleaned.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in section, of anilluminated compact, according to one form of the invention, withportions of the tray broken away to show the parts located beneath it;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken alon the line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section at right angles to the section place ofFigure 2, taken along the line 33 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary right-hand side elevation of the rearward sideportion of the compact, showing details of the shutter or dark slide;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the powderand powder puff tray, showing details of its pivotal connection with thecasing; and

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the illuminated compact as a whole.

Heretofore, it has been inconvenient for a woman to apply make-up to herface in a darkened place, although it is often necessary for her to doso. For example, a woman is usually desirous of checking her make-upbefore she leaves a theater and, in the case of motion picture theaters,where she has entered after a picture has commenced, she leaves beforethe picture has ended its subsequent showing and consequently thetheater is dark at the time she leaves. Furthermore, when she is in anautomobile at night, she also desires to check her make-up immediatelybefore arriving at her destination, and the ordinary comp-act has noprovision for enabling her to do so. Finally, occasions often arisewhere she wishes light without being forced to carry a bulky flashlight,such as in examining a program in a darkened theater or finding thekeyhole in th lock of her automobile or house door. The presentinvention provides a compact which has self-contained illumination bywhich the user may not only illuminate the face to check her makeup butalso may use the compact as an emergency flashli ht for theabove-mentioned purposes.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1 to 6 inclusive show anilluminated compact, generally designated it), according to one form ofthe invention as including a box-like casing I l having a cover I2hinged thereto as at l3 and carrying a mirror it inside the cover I2. Acatch l5 engages a recess or keeper It in the front wall H to releasablyhold th cover [2 in a closed position in order to prevent spilling ofits contents. The opposite sides 18 are provided with bosses is whichare notched as at 20 to receive pivot pins 2! in the form of trunnions(Figure 5) which are seated in bosses 22 formed at the rearward cornersof a powder tray 23.

The powder tray 23 is formed partially or wholly of translucent materialand is provided with border portions 24 and 25 on one side and at therear of a powder recess 26 in which the powder and powder puff arehoused. It is most convenient to form the tray 23 wholly of translucentplastic, although it is sufiicient for the purposes of the invention toprovide a translucent area in the border portion 25 through which lightcan pass to the face of the user. This translucent area may even consistof a window or opening in the border portion 25.

Secured to the bottom wall 28 of the casing II and preferably moldedintegral therewith, or optionally connected to either or both of thefront and rear sides I l and 29 respectively (Figures 1 and 2) is apartition 3|] which subdivides the interior of the casing ll into abattery compartment 3| and a powder receptacle compartment 32. Mountedon the partition 3!] is an internally threaded socket 33 for aconventional electric light bulb 34 which is threaded therein and hasthe end of its threaded metal side portion 35 engageable with anL-shaped conductor strip 35, the upper portion of which is seated in thesocket 33 (Figure 1). The conductor strip 36 is provided with anaperture 37 through which the insulated central contact 38 of theelectric light bulb as may project without touching it. The lower arm 39of the L-shaped conductor strip 36 enters the battery compartment 3| andis bowed or made arcuate in order to yieldingly engage the lower end 40of a dry cell or other suitable form of battery 4|, the central contact42 of which is slidably engaged by an L-shaped contact arm 43 secured toa push button 44 Which projects through a hole 45 in the left-hand sidewall it of the casing H. An annular ridge 45 serves to restrain the pushbutton 44 from being pushed outward completly through the opening 45 andalso provides a surface to which the contact arm 43 may be secured. Thepush button 44 has an internal reduced diameter portion 47 of metal orother conducting material electrically connected with the contact arm 43and carrying a central contact pin 48 and also an inner helical spring49-.

An outer helical spring has one end abutting against the contact arm 43on the push button 44 and the other end abutting against the partition3! within an annular member 5! surrounding an aperture '52 in thepartition is through which the contact 38 projects. A reflector 53 ofrightangle cross-section is mounted in the casing ll adjacent andbeneath the rearward tray portion 25 and electric light bulb 34 andserves to reflect the light from the latter through the former into theface of the user. The right-hand end wall is is provided with anaperture 54 (Figure 1) behind which is mounted a shutter or dark slide55 which is pivoted as at 56 to swing to and fro across the aperture 54to open and close the latter, a pin 51 projecting through the apertureto open and close the latter, a pin 5'! projecting through the aperture54 and serving as a handle. When the shutter 55 is in a positioncompletely uncovering the aperture 54, the handle is received in a notch58 to one side of the aperture 54.

In the use of the invention, the lid is lifted so as to expose themirror 14, and the push button 44 is pressed inward to close the circuitbetween the battery 4| and the electric light bulb 34. The light fromthe electric light bulb 34 shines or is reflected upward through thetranslucent rearward border portion 25 of the tray 23, illuminating theusers face sufiiciently to enable her to apply powder or lipstick ormerely to check her makeup. In case she wishes to use the compact as aflashlight, she pulls the pin 51 upward, causing the shutter to uncoverthe aperture 54. The

i'il

light from the light bulb 34 then shines directly out through theaperture 54 and illuminates the program, keyhole, or other object whichit is desired to illuminate. It is preferable to use an electric lightbulb 34 of the type having a lens incorporated in its forward end so asto focus the light and concentrate it properly. Such bulbs are used inso-called fountain-pen flashlights and avoid the necessity of providingan extra lens for this purpose. When the user has finished with thecompact, she closes the cover, whereupon the catch i5 engages the recessor keeper l6 and holds the compact closed.

To clean the tray 23 or to install a new battery 4! or bulb 34, the userlifts or pries u the forward edge of the tray 23, swinging it upward topermit it to be grasped in the fingers, thereby enabling it to be liftedout of its recess, withdrawing the pivot pins 2! from the notches 23.When the tray 23 has been cleaned or the battery or bulb installed, thetray is replaced in its previous position by reversing the foregoingprocedure.

While the preferred construction of the corn pact has the powderreceptacle 26 integral with the border portions 24 and 25, so that theirassembly forms a closure for the lower part of the casing, it is evidentthat the powder receptacle 26 might be made separate from andindependently removable relatively to the border portions 24 and 25.

What I claim is:

An illuminated compact comprising a shallow box having a substantiallyflat open top, a powder tray of translucent light-diffusing materialsecured to said top of said box in closing relation- Ship therewith,said tray having a substantially fiat border portion and a powder cupportion integral therewith and depending therefrom into the interior ofsaid box, said powder cup portion being spaced apart from at least oneedge of said tray to provide a chamber in the interior of said boxdisposed between one side of said powder cup portion and one side ofsaid box, an electric bat-- tery disposed in said chamber, an electriclight bulb electrically connected to said battery and disposed beneathsaid tray border between one side of said cup portion and one side ofsaid box, a lid hingedly attached to said box, and a mirror attached tothe inner side of said lid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,321,026 Freed et a1 Nov. 4, 1919 1,889,143 Hirsh Nov. 29,1932 2,270,636 Klarfield Jan. 20, 1942 2,302,043 Matway Nov. 17, 19422,515,437 Bisch et al July 18, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date955,011 France June 20, 1949

